This is a guest post by Dr. Heather MacIndoe, Associate
Professor of Public Policy and Public Affairs, University of Massachusetts
Boston (heather.macindoe@umb.edu)

For millions of Americans, approximately half of the voting
public, the 2016 Presidential election did not result in the election of the
candidate they supported. Many Americans anticipated the historic election of
our first female president of the United States, and an administration that would
defend and extend the policies of the Obama administration. We woke up
Wednesday morning--or never went to sleep--in disbelief and despair. The
Presidential election result appears to be a remarkable repudiation of
political expertise and experience. The question “what happened?” will be
debated and discussed for a long time to come. The next logical question for
many is “what do we do now?” What can we do individually, and collectively, in
the face of this electoral defeat? I propose three avenues to channel our
energies: voice, volunteer, and vote.

First, use your voice to become a more engaged citizen.
Educate yourself about policy proposals as they make their way through the
legislative process. Follow the national news via newspapers, TV, and the
internet. Join email listserves, Facebook groups, and other virtual communities
that disseminate information on issues that are important to you. Also seek out
news sources with which you disagree: listening is an important step to
understanding and responding. Finally, voice your opinion about policy and
legislative votes to your elected officials. Locate the emails, office phone
numbers, and U.S. mail addresses of your Senate and House representatives.
Access the power of social media to stay informed about pending legislation and
make your voice heard. Websites and apps like Countable make it easier to
follow pending legislative issues. Contact your elected officials, especially
if you did not vote for them, and make your voice heard.

A second way to harness our energies and stay engaged
following this election is to volunteer. Find an organization that works
towards a cause you care about. Volunteer your time and money if you can. One
hour a week for a year, or for six months, can make a difference. There are
many different types of volunteering from mentoring, to stuffing envelopes, to
website design, to serving meals. One place to look for volunteer opportunities
is the nonprofit sector. Organizations big and small, secular or religious,
left/right or center, local/state or national can use your help. The vast scope
of issues addressed by nonprofit organizations means there is something for
everyone: including animal welfare, civil rights, criminal justice reform,
education, environment, health, homelessness, women’s issues, and many more.
Volunteering not only helps an organization or a cause, it can connect us with
our communities, teach us about other people and places, and help us to foster
connections in a disorienting time.

Finally, it is important to remember that, as consequential
as this moment feels, this is one election. An additional way to direct your
energies following the 2016 election is to make a pledge to vote in the future.
Exercise your right to vote, and educate others about the importance of voting
and of registering to vote. Make a pact now to vote in the next election, and
the one after that, and the one after that. Vote in local, state, and national
elections. Before the next election, talk to family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances,
and strangers. Encourage them to vote.

By
expressing our rights as citizens with our voices, being of service and
learning through volunteering, and pledging to vote, we can move forward in the
wake of this election.